


Sense of Closure

by ribbonelle



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Age Difference, M/M, Matespritship, breaking up, moiraillegiance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-10-31
Updated: 2013-02-28
Packaged: 2017-11-17 11:13:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/550940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ribbonelle/pseuds/ribbonelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The dreambubbles are quite the joints to be hanging out in for Bro Strider. Kid brother searching, bubble lounging, checking out extraterrestrials. </p><p>For once, Bro meets a troll who's not like the others. He leaves Bro's kid brother and yet yearns for company and Bro has never met someone more confusing. He wants to know more about whatever's going on, and fix things on the way. </p><p>Ok, no, fuck, who said anything about fixing things?</p><p>Please note that this fic is abandoned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. it certainly isn't him, it's you.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a collection so yes, multiple chapters! I won't promise regular updates, but it'll be about 4-5 chapters, Also pst, alternate endings probably so ahah.

This is the day Bro Strider met Eridan Ampora.

It wasn’t always that you meet other dead people in the dream bubbles. You’ve had your share of sightings; some more peculiar than the others but they never seem to interest you enough for you to go and probably socialize with the fellow dead. This excludes your brother’s doomed selves; which are all over the fucking place; of course. It’s also worth mentioning that you usually seek for Daves, so all encounters with them are purely intentional. Call it some sort of an obligation in the afterlife, but it pleases you to know what’s going on with your little bro.

You’ve met a lot of Daves with company. One shacked up with a bull-horned, stuttering troll. One you saw hanging out with a cackling, sharp-teethed lunatic (?), others with variations of trolls and kids you’ve never seen and you’re pretty sure it’s just proof of the universal constant where everyone couldn’t resist a piece of a Strider’s ass.

You hung out a lot too, of course. A dead man has to have some time for himself; can’t go raiding the whole bubble world just for little brothers, right? Today isn’t an exception, though. You’re lounging around in some random bubble again, looking around when you see an alternate of your brother in the distance. Blonde hair, lithe frame, how could you not recognize him? And of course, he’s with someone and by the candy-corn colored appendages on his partner’s head, you’re pretty sure he's a troll. Sometimes you think Dave just took irony to the next level, hooking up with aliens, but hey, whatever a guy wants. You’ve never seen this one before. Funny how he was swathed with purple and bluish colors and you could pretty much bet that’s a cape he’s sporting behind his back. What the hell is Dave thinking?

But it seems like you've interrupted them in a fairly new situation. You've caught Dave macking furiously with that bull troll once, and that's been the most entertaining encounter so far. Right now, things look far from that. Dave has Supertroll's wrists in his grasp, keeping him there and the troll certainly had his eyes at any other place as long as they aren't on Dave. Harsh whispers and quiet murmurs are exchanged between the two, and you wonder if you're being witness to your kid brother dumping someone. That sends a sick feel of satisfaction through you.

Big assumption.

You're proven wrong when the troll shakes his head, leaning forward hurriedly to press a kiss to Dave's cheek,  and wrenches his hands away from the boy. Anger and disappointment (?) flits through your brother's poker face, cracking the illusion for a moment and it's there again, and he leaves. He couldn't see you from where you are, but as you watch him walk away his form changes to one you're quite familiar of. Green felt suit, drenched with blood on the front. The long gash appears along his throat as he walks away, and you wonder how really upset he is if he lost control over the illusions in the bubbles. He must be fucking livid.

Did your bro just get dumped? Has the world finally tipped over and went to shit? Fucking unbelievable. Who even is this kid? You'd go after Dave, but you're more than sure he wouldn't want anyone to be witness to what just happened. He'd try to kill you without a doubt. And the last thing you need is some emotion-driven strife when you're clearly dying (haha) to know who this troll is.

The troll; are those _fins_ ; stands where he is still, looking hard at the ground as if he expects something to sprout from it. His hands are clenched into fists, and you could bet that's he trembling, and for a moment you think he's going to cry. He might as well already be crying. You are so curious about this troll and you really need to know who he is. You know exactly how to find out. You go ask him.

A few more minutes of supposed privacy and in two steps you are already in front of him, your arms folded. It's always fun flashstepping near to someone who knew nothing about that ability of yours.

He notices your shoes first, you figure, by the way he freezes as you enter his line of sight. Looking up eventually, you note how his eyes are fairly white with a purple tint to it. And how really empty they looked. Not even dead empty...just empty. Like he has nothing inside him, not even his dead soul resurrected by the bubbles. Just a husk of some sorts. It's fucking creepy, and a little saddening.

"Wwho the fuck are you?"

Oh. Oh no. Man, this troll better not cry in front of you right this moment. Those eyes would be pretty hard to say no to. You can see what Dave liked about this troll. Expressive eyes, decently long lashes, Supertroll has a pretty face all in all, with a touch of nobility but still really pretty. He's wavering his Ws, and you sense serious waterworks over the horizon. You are not going to be anyone's shoulder today, and especially not for a pretty alien who might or might not have just dumped your brother.

His face changes suddenly despite, brows creasing and dead eyes flicking up to your face then down again. You supress to ask him if he likes what he sees. He tilts his head slightly, confusion replacing the emptiness just for a second, then he was back to being soulless. "...Don't think it's possible, but you seem like Davve's Bro."

The way he says Dave though. Could be a reason why Dave was with him, those V's did something to male genitalia, and you're still in semi-shock to realize it's your brother's name that you think is hot. Dave told him about you. You can't tell what exactly he's said, but hm. Dave must have trusted him a lot. Interesting.

"So what was that all about? Messy break up?"

A flicker went through his face, and as fast as your reflexes were, you didn't get what emotion it was. Must be a pro at hiding feelings then. His mouth opened once, before he shut it again, frowning at you. "I don't evven knoww wwho you are."

"Sure you do. Now tell me. Why did he leave? How could you have screwed up with him? Did he get bored? Didn't seem like that to me."

It's as if something clicks, and words started tumbling from his mouth, "Oh that? Yeah...he left. Said I'm too much of a prude. I mean...I'd leavve anyone wwho wwouldn't go any further than kissin' myself, at one point, I pushed him awway pretty fuckin' hard and I'm-"

"You're lying." You cut him off, because he sounds sad where he should sound angry and bitter.

 He stops short and blinks at you, before a smile curves his lips just slightly. "Nothin' goes past you, right? Seems like that's a proven fact." His smile vanishes again and he averts his eyes, looking elsewhere.

 

What the fuck is going on. You just wanted to know why he dumped Dave, and decided whether or not you should help your bro in settling his afterlife love affairs. Why were there emotions all over the place? You feel like you’re choking on the feels here. "Okay look. Are you telling me why you broke up with him or what?"

"None a your business. Like, at all. Go awway, I don't evven knoww you."

His fins flare a little, anger seeping into his voice. You'd be pretty damn annoyed yourself if someone just came up to you and asked questions. But you're the one asking them right now, and that's a different thing altogether. You wouldn't usually care, but that look on Dave's face. Intriguing. "You forget that I'm his Bro. Strong familial bonds and shit. Intense stuff. I should know because I'm related to him and things that bother him are directly my business. So 'fess up."

He frowns hard at you, before looking at the ground again. A click of the tongue and his expressions softens, and you partially understand why Dave's with him. A little, at least. He shakes his head to himself, laughing just slightly, "You really havve to meet Davve. Seriously. He wwants to see you so bad."

"I would have done that if I didn't see him walk away from you with some serious pissed off expression on his face. Plus he was bleeding all over the place." His eyebrows shoot up at the bleeding, but you brush it off with a gesture to your neck and his face crumples instead. He takes a breath and shrugs, "My fault. Sorry. You are his Bro, after all."

"Yeah, that also means I need an explanation. Just spill and I'll be out of your dyed hair, trust me."

One last pained expression and he throws his hands up in the air, clearly annoyed by you. "Oh jegus, wwe just broke up, that's all there fuckin' is to it. It wwasn't wworkin' out, and it just had to end. End of fuckin' story!"

"Then why was he _that_ angry and why are you this sad?"

"...Tsk. Guess it wwasn't really a mutual break up, wwhat the fuck evver. But I'm not lettin' it go the wway it's going."

"You were falling for him?"

His feet shifts, "Yeah, you can say that. My feelings get all over the place sometimes." It didn't convince you, he was being shifty all over, and that line seems terribly rehearsed. An idea suddenly hits you and your jaw drops slightly at the sheer thought of it before you caught yourself.

"Or was he falling for you?"

The 'no' he spits out is too quick, too forced, and Jesus Christ, your brother was falling for this hipster variation of a troll and you aren't sure what saddens you more. The fact that he fell in love with this _thing_ or the fact that he just got rejected. Wow.  You wonder why he said no to your brother anyway. You ask him exactly that.

 

"So did you figure you were some sort of alien heterosexual or what, why'd you reject him?"

A flicker of annoyance flashes on his features, and he looks away again, arms wrapping as if he was trying to keep himself together. "It just wwasn't wworking out. Wwe both just wwanted company in the first place, then things changed. I can't give him wwhat he wwants, and he can't do the same for me in return." His face falls again, apparently crushed by the fact that they're not together anymore and you're just wondering what the fuck is really going on. Must have been this troll's fault, not Dave's. You don't recall your brother ever going all dramatic about something before, especially not about relationships or crushes or stuff. Not that you're an expert on that, but you know enough about your kid bro.

"Sex?" you quirk an eyebrow, and he has the decency to blush and look indignant at that, narrowing his eyes at you. Purple tints. Everything about this guy is purple, it's almost funny. "I don't havve to tell you anythin', you knoww that, right. Sex wwas good. This isn't about sex."

"Could you say something straight for once or am I going to need to comfort you and treat you like a princess before you tell me what happened?"

Struck a nerve there, though. You see a vein working in his jaw, and his fists clenched and you're sure his nails are digging into his palm. It takes him approximately 3.6 seconds before he calms down, taking a breath and settles into a glare. He really did practice on repressing his emotions, it's really impressive. You have never seen someone control their emotions like that, other than Striders. That goes without saying.

"Fine. You want to knoww? It's because he wwants to be more than just fuckbuddies or company or friends and I can't do that to him. Not to him, not even to anyone. Wwe promised each other there wwould be no strings attached; Dave even said somethin about that Portman human and that Kutchewwhatever guy and _he_ gavve me that term; but just look at wwhat-."

He grits his teeth, face a mixture of sadness and anger, and when he looks at you again, there's nothing but regret on him. "Conclusion is he wwanted somethin' wwith commitment and I can't do commitment. I don't wwant that sort of relationship. I need free reign and all that noise, so there you fuckin' go, happy noww?"

You’re no newbie. A guy who screams for attention in every fibre in his being; even to the way he dresses, the way he moves, the way he speaks; a commitment phobe? This troll lies like his life depends on it, and for a moment you wonder if he's lying, or he's just really trying to force himself into becoming whatever he thinks he is. And he's being contradictory. What did he mean by 'I can't do that to him'? Is Dave falling for him a bad thing in his eyes?

"Then why do you look so sad? That doesn't explain it yet."

That catches him by surprise, and his hand rises up to his face as if he could touch and feel the expression of sadness on his face. Then he got pissed.

"You fuckin' Striders are all the same, always fuckin' _needin_ people to go wwith wwhatevver you guys wwant an just _needin_ evverythin to go your wway. Reality check, this is real life. Or the fuckin afterlife, wwhatevver. Things aint goin to _alwways_ go your wway and that's that. I'm out a here."

One moment you're in the bubble and the next he's pushed you out with his mind. Must have been his bubble you were in. You weren't done with the troll, you still wanted to know what's really going on in his mind (think pan? Whatever.), want to know what he really thinks about Dave. You're being a terribly nosy old fart in all the senses. But you just want to know why he looks so lonely despite his claims of needing space.

Besides. You don't even know his name yet.


	2. you could've just asked, bro.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little scuffling and an invitation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow ok i'm sorry this hasn't been updated for 4 months. felt like posting this though, so here. sorry for tense confusion, i suppose.

The next time you met your brother's ex-seatroll boyfriend, it was an unexpected affair. True enough, you've been trying to seek out the troll but it seems like he could be scarce when he wanted to. 

You were in your bubble, and it was full of water this time. A state your bubble sometimes reverts to; the one of the small apartment right in the middle of the sea, with nothing else in sight for miles. You were feeling melancholy that day, you remember. Bro Strider wasn't a sad person, but some days you couldn't help being a little on the downside. Must be a dead person's thing.

Sitting on the roof, you were looking out to the expanse of water when you feel someone enter your bubble. And then the familiar shade of purple was emerging from one side of the bubble (transparent walls, of course), looking like a lost deer and taking in the vast sea in front of him. 

Surprise him or not surprise him?

Better have your fun while you can.

With a smirk you laid flat on your back, before he could notice anything peculiar on your roof. You wiggled around just slightly, shucking off your shirt and flipped over to crawl military-style to the edge of the building. One glance at the troll, you sucked in a breath before rising just slightly and lunged into the water, years of practice and skill barely registering a splash when you hit the deep blue below.

It slipped your mind that he was a seadweller, but it was to your advantage that he came after you, probably thinking that you were a fish or a whale or even one of those fucking seagulls. You took your shades off, holding them in one hand while you turned in the water, noting the movement in your direction. How did he even swim, though? Did he bring the scarf and the cape along? Jesus that would be stupid. 

You let yourself sink further into the ocean, deep enough so that you were somewhat sheltered by its inky darkness (also you could control how you wanted the sea to be, and almost drowning once upon a time gave you enough imagination to conjure up said inky blackness). He was not as fast a swimmer as you were, but he moved with more grace than you could ever muster, his motions fluid despite lacking power. His cape was off, and you saw purplish slits at the side of his neck. Before you could even assume what it was, he closed his eyes for a few moments, then the slits flared open, and his expression was one of the most content yet you've seen on a person. 

Gills. Fucking hell.

Aliens.

You'd watch him forever, but having fun was more vital at that moment. So you shot up and grab hold of his ankle (he had girly ankles, the kind that would look good in stilettos) and you pulled him down as hard as you can. No one had expected a metal point aimed right on your Adam's apple, not even you. The troll's white eyes were wide and the purple tints flashed even more than usual and you couldn't help but smile. It's been a while since you've had a serious strife. Pulling your head back so the rifle point didn't graze your neck, you kicked the gun up, hard and fast in water. Before he could even register what was happening, you lunged up and kicked the gun out of his grip, grabbed him by the arm and pulled.

You've always been anime but never this fucking anime when you threw him up into the air after breaking the water's surface. Your desire for a battle was crystal clear. Being in the water was of no advantage to you, of course, so you get out. Mr. Seadweller is half-flailing mid-air but you had to give him some credit, as angry as he is, he seems to have some sort of control despite losing his gun. You focused and the landscape changes to some sort of terrain, at least it's better for a strifing and you grin at him. 

"If you want to fight then fight like a man. With fists, fish boy." 

He dropped onto the ground and gets right back up on his haunches, teeth bared, fin flaring. He looked savage. It’s exhilarating. “Wwhy the fuck are you even here? Could you not be an asshole and followw me places?!”

To his credit, he’s able to make you laugh, and you shook your head. “My bubble, kid. Don’t be accusing me of stalking without getting your facts straight.” He flushed purple from embarrassment, but took to surging forward and reaching out to claw at your face. You flashstepped and he’s swiping at air, and his snarl of frustration is really animalistic. Aliens are great, why haven’t you noticed this before?

You didn’t expect him to be as fast as he was and he slammed against your back, and you let him grapple you to the ground before switching positions and shoved his pretty face against the dirt, getting up on him so he wouldn’t be able to gouge your eyes out or whatever he wanted to do. Have to give it to him though, the troll struggled for five minutes straight under you, spitting expletives into the ground, bucked under you like a rodeo horse. Then he goes still and his voice turned into a half-whine, half-groan thing, “Let me go.”

“Magic word, boy.”

“I said fuckin’ let me go! There ain’t no magic wword to this, you sick bastard. I didn’t evven start it.” Again with the whining. It’s almost endearing if he didn’t sound like he’s going to rip your throat out with those super sharp shark teeth of his.

“Do you promise to be good?”

“Like fuck I’ll—shit,” his words are cut off when you pressed his face down a little more, the fins fluttering feebly over the side of his head. “Ok fine. I’ll be good. Let me go.” 

“Good boy,” you smirked as you let him go, getting off of him altogether. The poor guy scrambled up to his feet, shuffling away from you as he touches his other fin, brushing dust from it. The way he scowled reminded you of Angie’s lush lips, somehow. A moment’s silence as he fixed up his fin and face, he sat down about a few meters across you, eyes narrowed. “Your bubble. Got it. Wwhy the fuck did you evven pull me under, you fuckin’ douche?”

A smirk curved your lips and you stare at him right back, “Because you didn’t say goodbye the last time we met. Real fucking rude of you to do that, you know?” 

“Wwhatever. But next time you wwant to strife, try askin’ em. Yankin’ people down in the wwater ain’t fun at all, in fact it’ll make someone wwant to rip your throat out, alright? Seriously.”

You reached up to fix your hat, nodding solemnly at him, “Taking you up on that offer. If I feel like strifing again, I’ll come find you. Vice versa, alright?”

“Just no askin’ me shit about my life. Or my lovve life. Evven if it has things to do wwith you an your lusus responsibilities, ok. I don’t wwant jack to do wwith it.”

You hitched your shoulders up in a small shrug, “No promises. But hey. Pretty sure you could use the stress relief when you want it. And now you know where to find me.”

“I knoww wwhere to find everyone, don’t be so fuckin’ smug. I’m out a here though. Be back someday, if you’re so lucky.” By his tone, you’re pretty sure he has no intention of returning. You knew how you could fix that easily though.

The troll stood up and got to moving into the direction in which he came from, rewrapping his scarf across his neck, walking like he knew you’re watching and he’s working it anyway. You stood up yourself, stretched a little, and then called out. “You’re welcome here anytime, kiddo. Mi casa es su fucking casa.”

You’re not sure if he understood basic Spanish, but he turned around after a few moments and yelled right back, “Eridan. Stop callin’ me kiddo. It’s stupid.” And he disappeared into the transparent wall dividing your bubble and the void outside it. Interesting kid. You fully intend to find out more about him and his relationship with your kid brother soon enough.

Eridan. 

Score one for Bro Strider.


End file.
